Circumstance
by sf
Summary: Sanzo’s and Kougaiji’s parties are forced to ally against a larger threat. Even then, their combined strength may be insufficient to defeat it…
1. Prologue

****

CIRCUMSTANCE

By sf

Warnings : I wouldn't exactly call it angst. It's more of action. But some parts do get a little sad. Also, it may tend to be Sanzo-centric. I can't help it! No yaoi content; any allusions are unintentional. 

PG for language and violence. No real spoilers, but a few vague references to the storyline. 

Summary : Sanzo's and Kougaiji's parties are forced to ally against a larger threat. Even then, their combined strength may be insufficient to defeat it…

****

-PROLOGUE-

The rain was falling in sheets by the time they reached the outskirts of the town. 

Goku shook a fist at the sky. "Ai, why does it always have to rain?"

"Why can't Hakuryuu create a roof?" Gojyo grumbled.

Even Hakkai wasn't smiling – much. "At least we have a road to drive on now."

It had been days since they had left the last village, and youkai had hounded them almost every step of the way. It might have been easier if their enemies had committed themselves to an all out assault… but these youkai seemed more intelligent than the norm. They kept up a series of hit-and-fade attacks, inflicting as much damage as possible then withdrawing before the group could muster an adequate defence. And there were a lot of them. While the group had managed to take down at least half a dozen youkai in each of these skirmishes, the prolonged attacks were achieving their desired effect – all four were bone weary and highly strung, expecting another attack at any moment. 

To make matters worse, the terrain had been densely forested – too thick for Hakuryuu to find a path – and they had been forced to cover the distance on foot. The dense foliage had been perfect for their enemies to spring persistent ambushes. 

So it had been a very welcomed break when the forest finally gave way to clearer ground late that afternoon, allowing them to use Hakuryuu's jeep form. Then the rain had started.

"They won't attack us in town, I hope," Hakkai commented. "This is a rather large one… they'd be hard pressed to find and attack us."

"I wouldn't count on that," Sanzo said softly.

"What was that?" Goku asked, but Sanzo did not repeat himself. 

"Eh, Sanzo, could you speak up? I can't hear for nuts over this rain," Goku said. "And I'm hungry—"

"Let up," Gojyo nudged him. "Sanzo's not in a good mood."

__

Isn't it obvious? Sanzo thought sourly, as they drove through. He hadn't told them how lucky they had been to get to this town. Another day in the open and their supplies, already at ground-zero, would have been gone. Especially with that Stomach-on-Legs sitting behind him. And he was running critically short on bullets. Not to mention cigarettes…

They stopped at the first inn that they could find. It had been a huge relief to get out of the pouring rain, change into something drier, and eat a decent meal for the first time in days.

  
"Eh Sanzo, I didn't know you carried a spare robe," Goku said over dinner. Although with his mouth full, it came out rather differently.

"I picked up one at the last village. Between bloodstains and youkai claws, these don't last long."

"I'm hungry," Goku announced, looking at the empty plates.

"Then eat the damn table!" Sanzo snapped, the tension from the journey reaching breaking point. He had caught a blow from the last encounter, and the damn thing was hurting like hell in the damp.

"But…"

"Leave him be, Sanzo," Hakkai intervened. "Gojyo, why don't you take Goku and go and look for food? I don't think that this place has anything left in the kitchens…"

"He _can't _still be hungry!" the innkeep wailed. "He's been eating for the past 2 hours!"

"Hmmm," Gojyo said, looking out of the window. "The rain's stopped. Yes, I think we'll go for a walk. Coming?"

Goku leapt up, his eyes shining. "Sanzo, can I borrow your card? _Please_?"

Sanzo growled. But the damn monkey _had_ earned it, after fending off all those youkai. Besides, it wasn't his money, anyway. "Go stock up while you're at it."

"Don't get separated!" Hakkai cautioned.

"You're not coming?" Gojyo asked. 

"No, I think that you can look after yourselves," Hakkai replied cheerfully. "Besides, Hakuryuu's caught somewhat of a cold. Don't stay out too late… especially you, Gojyo."

"Don't worry, I'd guess that the best babes are all snug at home on an evening like this," Gojyo winked. 

"Let's _go_, Gojyo!" Goku said, tugging him towards the door.


	2. Ch1 : Ambush

****

-CHAPTER 1-

Ambush

__

The rain's stopped. Sanzo noted. Just as well that they had spare clothing… the night was particularly cold. He glanced back across the room. Hakuryuu had curled up beside the fire. Next to him lay their wet belongings, drying slowly. 

"Move, Hakuryuu. You're lying on Sanzo's sutras," Hakkai said.

"Let him," Sanzo dismissed it. 

"You _are _in a weird mood," Hakkai looked up. "Is it the rain?"

"Maybe." _This trip is bringing back more painful memories than I usually get in a whole year…_

"I'm going to the kitchen for a moment," Hakkai said. "I'll be right back."

"Hn."

Hakkai strode off, glancing back once. Hakuryuu was sleeping now, his shivers growing more infrequent. They had pushed him too far this time… racing through the rain to reach the town… The dragon sneezed, and kooed softly, but did not wake.

He wandered down the stairs.

The lights went out.

__

Just like a B-grade horror movie… and something nasty's going to appear, just about … now! Hakkai dived for cover behind a table as something lunged past him. He felt, rather than saw, the wisp of youkai presence. Then something flared in the darkness, the feeling increased ten-fold.

__

Youryoku limiter! No wonder we didn't sense him earlier!

"Time for a little light, I guess!" Hakkai focused for a moment, feeling the build-up of ki, then released it with practiced ease. The ball of light illuminated the entire room in a brilliant yellow glow. 

There wasn't just _one_ youkai.

"Whoops. I guess that Sanzo was right, after all," Hakkai grinned at his audience, then fired at the nearest enemy.

Youkai dived for cover, and there was a brief scream, and spattering of blood. _Looks like I caught one_. His senses tingled, and he whirled just in time to avoid a nasty stab in the back. "This one's for you." Another flash, and the attacking youkai shattered into a black mist.

Gunshots rang out from above.

__

Oh no… Sanzo! Hakkai glanced at the ceiling in alarm. Frantically, he began fighting his way to the stairs, but youkai were pouring down it now – where on _earth_ had all these youkai come from?

***

"Eh, Gojyo, something's wrong," Goku said, with his mouth half-full. "I sense youkai."

Gojyo spun. "Where?"

Goku pointed vaguely.

"Oh crap… that's the direction that we came from!"

"They're being attacked?" Goku asked. Swallowing the rest of the bun in one mouthful, he took off running.

***

Hakuryuu kooed.

Sanzo sat up and grabbed his gun. There it was… that uneasy feeling of youkai hovering on the edge of his senses. It was faint… they might be far away—

The window shattered. 

"Shit!" he dived out of bed, away from the window and the falling glass, as youkai swarmed into the room. "Where the _hell_ did all of you come from?" 

There were at least half a dozen youkai in the room already, and more coming. Backing up against the wall, Sanzo fired five shots in rapid succession, taking down two of the leading youkai, and injuring another three. He spun out of their reach, scrabbling for more bullets. "Don't you bastards ever give up?!"

His fingers closed on his extra rounds, as he hammered them into the Exorcism gun. Another youkai lunged towards him… he ducked, not quite fast enough. A fist slammed his shoulder, and claws raked across it. _Another patching job… don't these clothes last longer than a week these days?_

He slammed the gun shut and fired, sending blood spraying. 

The door burst open.

__

Damn, I hope that's Hakkai—oh shit. At least four more youkai were standing the doorway, and these were armed.

Something attacked from the right. He strafed to one side, brought the gun round… fired, and missed, as the youkai ducked. _Shit…_

Pain exploded in his right side.

__

That one feels like it's going to need stitches… he couldn't catch his breath fast enough as he fired again, taking down another two assailants. There were just too many of them…

__

Where are the two idiots when you need them? he thought furiously, then checked himself. _Since when did I depend on other people to get me out of scrapes? I've always managed on my own before this…_

Another side of his brain told him that there weren't even _half_ this number of youkai, normally.

And not when he was already so damn tired…

The trigger clicked on an empty magazine. Automatically, he reached for more bullets… and his hand closed on air. Out of ammunition. _Now the fun starts…!_ He glanced around. The window was just 3 feet away. If he could make it—

A youkai grabbed his gun hand. Spinning, he turned to deliver it a blow to the guts for its pains… then there was a sharp pressure…

…a crack…

…a splintering sound as bone shattered…

…and the world went black and white for a moment in a flash of pain. "Damn you!" he grounded out through clenched teeth. 

"Damn us?" the youkai sounded amused. He felt the iron grip slide down to the wrist, felt the damn creature _squeeze_… 

The next wave of pain nearly drove him to his knees, as his entire wrist was crushed under the youkai's superior strength. His fingers went limp, and the gun clattered to the ground. That was going to be a real problem later…

He reached for his sutras with his free hand, then realized that they simply weren't there. That was all the time he had for thought, before the other arm was captured in a vicelike grasp. _Brilliant… just brilliant…_ he lashed out with a foot, trying to get one of them… just needed one arm free, that was all… just…

There was a wrench on his broken arm, and a fist caught him in the guts. Another blow knocked his legs out from under him. The strain on his arm worsened as he fought to regain balance. "Where are the sutras, monk?" a harsh voice demanded.

__

The sutras…

The pain was blinding him. His ribs hurt like bloody hell… they'd probably broken one. 

A blow across the face, hard enough to split his lip. "Where are they?"

He spat blood. "Go to hell."

Claws dug into the side of his face, lifting his chin. Then there was another blow, this one sending black spots spiralling across his vision. _I need… a weapon…_

"We don't have time," another youkai said. "The rest are on their way back. Just take him and go."

__

Take… what the… he tried to pull free, then nearly screamed as the youkai pinioning his left arm pressed down _hard_ on the fractured wrist. "Just wait, you," the youkai in front of him growled.

He never even saw the blow that plunged his world into darkness.

***

Hakkai dispatched another youkai, then was forced to beat a strategic retreat into the kitchen. The stairs were practically inaccessible. The youkai had blockaded him off, and were attacking with long-ranged attacks, forcing him to go on the defensive. He couldn't quite get a correct count on their numbers in the gloom, but there had to be at least 15… and these were far more powerful than the average youkai-on-the-street that they routinely encountered.

Fire lashed against his barrier, and he wavered unsteadily. _I can't keep this up forever…_ he winced as another wave of stones hit the barrier and scattered, too close for comfort. This youkai were good… they were _really_ good. 

"KOO!" 

"Hakuryuu! No!" Hakkai cried out, as the white shape darted down towards him. There was harsh laughter, then a stone streaked towards the dragon. Hakuryuu banked to avoid it…

…and ran straight into a stream of fire…

"HAKURYUU!"

The dragon squealed and tumbled out of the sky. Hakkai abandoned his barrier, switching to a concentrated blast that sent the nearest youkai flying. _They're too powerful… that fire youkai's almost as good as Kougaiji…_

He sprang forward, as Hakuryuu tumbled into his arms, one wing in tatters.

The youkai attacked from behind. Even as he spun, he felt a sword edge bite into his side, in a nightmare recollection of his first encounter with Chin Isou…

He retched, blood spewing from his mouth. 

Then Hakuryuu sent a puff of flame into the youkai's face. The youkai leapt back, startled, buying Hakkai enough time to grace him with a ki-blast to the gut. _I can't take this much longer!_ His stomach hurt like wild fire. _At least this wound isn't very deep… just a gash, but it's slowing me down…_

He flung up the barrier just in time.

The fire very nearly cut through his shields this round. He could _feel_ the heat streaking through, as his arms trembled from the strain. 

"HAKKAI!"

__

Goku's voice, unmistakably!

There was the sound of fighting. Cautiously, he lowered the barrier. Goku and Gojyo were trying to force their way through to him. Several youkai lay dead at their feet. But the rest were fleeing—no, _withdrawing_. They leapt out of the windows, through the large hole in the wall… and disappeared into the night.

Within seconds, all the attackers had vanished.

Gojyo rushed over. "Are you okay? You've taken quite a nasty wound there."

"I'll be fine," Hakkai gasped. "But why did they break off like that?"

"Hah. Probably too afraid to take all three of us on. What happened to Hakuryuu?"

  
Hakkai glanced down at the little dragon. There was a scroll clutched tightly in his claws. A scroll… no… a sutra…

"Sanzo!"

They rushed up the stairs and into the room. The door had been broken down – blown off its hinges, more likely. The window was totally wrecked. Bloodstains covered the walls and the floor, as well as several youkai corpses. But of the living… no sign.

"SANZO!" Goku yelled. "SANZO!" Frantically, he scanned the bodies. Nothing. All youkai. "DAMN! What did they do to Sanzo?! DAMNIT!" Goku swung and punched a wall. His fist went straight through. 

A glint caught Gojyo's eye. Stooping, he picked up a bloodstained revolver. Sanzo's. 

"I don't think they killed him," Hakkai said worriedly. "Which means that there's still hope. Goku, do you sense anything?"

"No…"

"If we follow those youkai that were attacking us, I guess we'll find him," Gojyo said.

"Alright, let's go," Hakkai said. 

"No you don't. You stay here with Hakuryuu," Gojyo returned, glancing Hakkai's wound.

"If Sanzo's injured, you'll need someone—"

"Do you think you're in any state to heal anyone? Start with yourself!" Gojyo snapped.

"I'm going," Hakkai insisted. "If we get split up again, they'll find it easier to take us out."

Gojyo paused. "Damn you and your logic. Fine, but we get that wound and Hakuryuu's wing dressed first!"


	3. Ch2 : Pursuit

****

-CHAPTER 2-

Pursuit

It wasn't quite full consciousness, but neither was it enough to escape the pain. Through the dim fog that obscured everything, Sanzo could feel movement. Every jolt rang through his tortured nerves, sending waves of pain flashing through them. His left arm was a constant source of agony, as well as the long slash across his right side that stretched all the way to the middle of his back. 

The fog across his vision was clearing. 

Unfortunately, his nerves were waking up as well. 

The fog cleared.

He was slung across a youkai's back, his hands and feet bound. Every step that the brute took sent another wave of pain stabbing through his broken ribs. The cords were biting into his left wrist, which was a swollen mess. It wasn't a pleasant thing to wake up to, overall.

"Someone take over," the youkai grunted, and flung him to the floor. 

Broken bones slammed into hard ground, wrenching a grunt of pain out of him. 

"Looks like our monk's awake," the youkai who had been carrying him sneered. Something moved in his field of vision. A boot connected with his ribs with a sickening thud. He clamped down on the scream that threatened to break out. There were a few more kicks, each one sending a flash of pain that stabbed all the way to his eyeballs. _Just wait… till… shittt._ He coughed up blood. _Damn… this pain is driving me crazy…_

He couldn't remember what had happened to the gun. 

Someone grabbed his head and twisted it around. His vision was filled with gaping fangs, and a pair of cold black eyes. "I'll pay you back," a low voice hissed.

He couldn't find the energy to speak.

"Later," another voice ordered from overhead. "We're still not in the clear yet. You, take him, and let's go."

Hands grabbed him and lifted him off his feet. He struggled, out of sheer desperation rather than any belief that it would work. The bonds chaffed, distracting him from the fiery pain in his left arm and his gut. The youkai cuffed him across the side of the head. "Stop that."

__

I'm… the thought was left unfinished, as he sank swiftly back into oblivion.

***

Goku was practically bouncing up and down with impatience by the time Gojyo finished bandaging Hakkai's wound. The earth youkai streaked out of the door, his acute sense of smell picking up on the trail that the attackers had left with ease. Hakkai, following at a more sedate pace, quietly pointed out the trails of blood to Gojyo.

"Looks like Mister Worldly Monk gave them a run for their money," Gojyo replied.

"For all you know, that blood may be his."

"He had it coming," Gojyo replied, but the comment lacked conviction. 

***

Waking up was a damn unpleasant experience under normal circumstances, and this was _far_ from normal.

There were youkai all around him. And he hurt like hell.

His back was against a tree trunk, his hands in front of him, bound at the wrist. More cords held his ankles together. But what really worried him was the sight of trees as far as the eye could see. They were back in the damn forest.

The sky was dark, but somewhere off to the left, the first rays of sunlight were beginning to drive away the night. Dawn was coming; they had travelled all night.

Sanzo growled as one of the larger youkai stooped down in front of him. He had dim recollections of those black eyes staring into his earlier, but his pain-fogged mind refused to elaborate.

The youkai sneered, and backhanded him across the face.

Sanzo lunged, his hands aiming for the youkai's throat… and came up short as the youkai grabbed his wrist. 

"So fragile…" the youkai examined the broken joint. "Would you like to find out how much it'll hurt if I crush it again?"

"Fuck off."

"My, curious, aren't you?" the youkai's grip tightened, sending a flash of pain that left him gasping for breath. 

"Where are the sutras?" the youkai demanded.

He didn't respond.

The youkai ran a clawed finger along his wrist. "I'll ask again. Where are the sutras?"

"Tell Kougaiji to give the fuck up," Sanzo grated.

"Kougaiji?" the youkai asked in some puzzlement. "Oh… I _see_. No, we're not part of the measly mob that follows Kougaiji around," he sneered. "Nor do we _care_ about why he wants the sutras. We have our … own uses for them."

"Then who do you work for?" Sanzo asked.

"No, no, no. I'm the one asking the questions." The youkai drew a thin strand of blood with his claw. "The next one will hurt more. Trust me."

He lashed out with his feet, trying to kick the youkai in the gut… then choked on a scream as his captor dodged neatly and twisted his arm. 

"Let's see if I can break another bone, shall we?"

Something snapped, and the pain in his left arm drove him beyond the brink of consciousness for a few moments. 

"I'll handle this," a calm voice was saying, as the darkness before his eyes cleared.

There was some… someone? something? standing in front of him. It might have been youkai or human, but it was impossible to see through the ghostly white light that resonated from it. 

__

Power, he realized. _All that is power so concentrated that it's taken a tangible form. I've never seen anything like this before. Wait… not quite. It's like Hakkai's barrier… just that this isn't … quite the same…_

"One will attempt to be civilized," the being said. "Where are the sutras, Sanzo?"

"What do you want them for? If you're not in league with Kougaiji."

"Uses, uses," the being mused. The white light shifted like a fine mist. "You can sense it, can't you? Power. The sutras have many uses."

"Hell, they're mine. I'm not about to give them away."

"What if you don't have a choice?" came the amused reply.

He didn't reply. Black spots flickered at the edge of his vision. If he could just escape into unconsciousness…

A flash of pain brought him back. Shit.

"You're not getting away that easily," the being snapped. "I will not ask again. Where are the sutras?"

"I don't have them." _Isn't it obvious? I don't have the fucking sutras. I don't even remember what I last did with them. _He felt the faint stirrings of panic. _But if these guys don't know where they are, they must be in friendly hands, right? But where on earth… I never misplace them…_

"Where did you last put them, then? You gave them to someone? Who?" the being leaned forward.

"I don't know. I don't care."

There was a hiss of anger. _Civilized. Right._

"There are many ways to inflict pain, Genjo Sanzo."

__

Shit. No. _I hate getting bashed up._

"If I had my leisure, I could resort to the … more usual forms. However, there are ways of blocking out the physical kinds of pain. Thankfully, there are more direct and effective measures." The being leaned closer. "And I dislike damaging people who may be of use later."

There was no time for thought, just a mind-shattering stab of pain right through his head. The world went gold and red. Sanzo flung up defences, trying to block the assault on his mind, but the enemy's strength was way too great. Far greater than _anything_ he had ever encountered. That whole aura of power had been honed to a spear point and sent crashing through all mental barriers. 

No way of stopping it.

He screamed as his mind disintegrated under the assault.

***

The flying dragon cut swiftly through the night air. Far below was a wide plain, bordered by a forest on one side and a city on the other. 

Kougaiji glanced down. "This is where they said those rogue youkai were."

"Shall we touch down?" Doku asked. 

"At the edge of the forest," Kougaiji directed. He leaned back, frowning slightly. It had been a while since they had last had to deal with rogue youkai. In fact, with all efforts being directed towards the resurrection, he normally wouldn't have cared about the presence of youkai, rogue or no. But this group was… strange. They were led by … they weren't sure if it was a youkai or not… a creature of extraordinary power. So powerful that even the Empress had started to worry. And now the Bitch had directed him to stop It.

He wished they knew more about this enigmatic enemy. All they had were reports of his teams being waylaid and practically… _destroyed_. Killed didn't cover it. No wonder the Empress was worried.

The dragon banked and headed down towards the forest.

***

Goku stopped dead in his tracks. Gojyo nearly ran into him. "What's wrong, Goku?"

"Something's wrong…" the smaller youkai was as tense as a board, peering ahead into the gloom. He glanced up. "I thought I sensed something."

"Sanzo?"

"I don't know… but there are youkai ahead."

Hakkai stepped up, breathing hard. His injury was hurting again. _Shallow but annoying…_ "You should be resting," Gojyo said to him.

"I'm okay."

"We can't push on like this without killing ourselves," Gojyo retorted.

"But Sanzo--?" Goku asked.

"A few minutes won't make a difference. Besides, you're hungry, aren't you, bakazaru?"

It suddenly occurred to Goku's stomach that they had been walking all night, and it _hadn't been feed for the past 6 hours_. "I'm _famished!_" he wailed.

"Alright, that settles it," Hakkai said with a weary smile.


	4. Ch3 : Retaliation

****

-CHAPTER 3-

Retaliation

__

Who the hell are you?! he cried.

__

My, my, what a neat mind you have. So calm, so critical. The sneer was evident. _And … my goodness… so many emotional strings. Tragic. How tragic. But useful. Hm…_

Sanzo's eyes snapped open. The Being was watching him. "Who… are… you?" he ground out.

__

I am. The words were spoken directly into his head.

"What the— what did you do?" he demanded.

__

You don't need to speak, you know. The voice had a texture like slime. He flinched. _It's simple. Extending a portion of my thought into your mind… it's been done before._

"Get lost."

__

You're afraid. I can feel it.

__

I'm just bloody pissed off!

__

Liar, the voice mocked him. _The sutras, Sanzo. Just tell me what you did with them, and you're free. _

__

He can't read all my thoughts… he doesn't have access to everything… thoughts flashed through Sanzo's mind, before he clamped down on them. No knowing just how much this… invader… could pick up.

"And what if I don't? You can't find out directly, can you? So much for—"

There was a plunging sensation, then every nerve in his body screamed in unison. He doubled over instinctively, the pain in his broken ribs nothing compared to the pain that he was experiencing. He clamped his teeth together, locking back the scream that was clawing its way out of his throat. Time crawled to a standstill, each second burning into eternity…

Then it stopped.

He collapsed backwards, too drained to even open his eyes. Somewhere to the right of him, there was soft laughter. 

__

Shall we try that again?

__

I don't have the sutras!

__

This is fun, you know. After we get tired of this, you have enough bad memories to be entertaining. No response? No more smart-assed remarks? Perhaps you need a little more persuasion…

__

Fuck, no.

__

You'll have to ask more nicely than that…

The pain was worse this time. His mind whited out under the flashes; hot, cold, hot, cold, burning and freezing at the same time, as every muscle tensed in an effort to stop the pain… vaguely, he was aware of digging his nails into his palms, of the unwilling tears that pooled up behind his eyelids… he tasted blood, knew that he had bitten his lip… But he didn't care. He just wanted a respite. He wanted…

He couldn't breathe. Insane laughter echoed around him. Someone was certainly getting a kick out of this…

It was a long time before the pain let up. 

***

"Kougaiji-sama… I heard something," Yaone said, turning. 

"I heard it too," Kougaiji frowned. "What do you think it was?"

"Honestly, it sounded like a scream," Doku replied.

"It might be our target. Let's hurry."

They came within sight of the clearing after 10 minutes. Youkai were lounging around the remains of a fire, watching something beyond their view. 

Doku came up silently beside Kougaiji. "There was a sentry," he whispered softly. "I took care of him."

Kougaiji nodded. "They're distracted. It must be their leader." He wrinkled his nose. "I can sense his stench from here."

"He's not quite youkai, is he?" Yaone asked.

"No. But not human either. I…" Kougaiji shook his head. "No idea."

They made their way around the edge of the clearing, as the light of dawn filtered through the leaves of the forest.

Kougaiji stopped dead in his tracks, lifting a hand to silence his subordinates before they could say anything. 

It couldn't be.

It just… couldn't be.

There was… something, with a smouldering, shifting white aura that billowed around it, an aura which obscured everything else. You couldn't even make out its features. 

But it was not that ethereal figure that caught his attention. It was the one opposite, slumped against a tree. His robes were so torn and bloodstained that they were almost unrecognizable, but the golden hair… was unmistakable. 

Sanzo thrashed wildly, seemingly unaware of how the cords bit into his wrists and ankles, about how his left arm was sticking out at funny angles in two places… and screamed.

As youkai laughed, Kougaiji hunched down, chills raking down his spine. Beside him, Yaone and Doku's eyes were wide with shock. 

There was a pause, a sudden stillness. The Being spoke. "They enjoy it, you know. I promised them a scream for every brenthen you injured. A dozen for every one you killed." The voice was low, almost melodious… cultured. Not someone you expected to find torturing a prisoner to death.

Sanzo raised his head slowly, but didn't reply. Some instinct seemed to prompt him to glance in Kougaiji's direction. 

Violet eyes met purple ones. 

Kougaiji swore under his breath. The glance had said, clear as day, something he had never expected out of Genjo Sanzo.

A plea.

__

Kill me.

Something burst into the clearing. There was a brief flash of color, and suddenly, two youkai lay dead. And Goku leapt at the Being.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!" Goku yelled. Rage made his brown eyes flash gold. 

The Being raised a hand, and fired a ki-blast of pure white at him. Goku swerved in mid-air, narrowly avoiding it. He landed heavily, then sprung up again.

The next blast was already streaking towards him. Goku's eyes widened as he dodged, and the blast swerved to follow him. 

"Goku! No!" Sanzo yelled.

The ki-blast smashed into the youkai. Goku collapsed to the floor, blood spraying out of his mouth. He staggered to his feet again, as Gojyo and Hakkai entered the clearing.

Youkai were had rushed to their leader's assistance, swarming over the three. The Being stood to one side, his amusement almost tangible. 

The Empress' orders rang through Kougaiji's mind. _Find out who is doing this. And kill him. _

"Cover me," he hissed to Yaone and Doku. "I'm going to summon a demon."

"Hai!" they acknowledged.

He hunched over, mumbling incantations. Power collated, forming the gate through which the demon could come forth.

The Being spun, sensing the build-up.

Yaone leapt forward. The ki-blast scorched the earth just inches away. Doku attacked from the other side. Three enemy youkai rushed up. Yaone danced out of range, and flung a grenade at them. 

The explosion took down one, and left the other two twitching on the floor in death throes. Doku rushed the Being, and managed to put in a sword-swing.

The sword touched the aura, and shattered. 

The ki-blast caught him in the chest, sending him flying.

"DOKU!" Yaone whipped out another grenade from her belt, and flung it. The Being intercepted it in mid-flight with another blast of ki—

And Hakkai hit him from behind. 

There was a crackle of energy, and the Being staggered slightly, then righted. The white aura flashed red momentarily. 

Hakkai's eyes went wide. "That was enough to level a house," he murmured. 

"Evidently, this guy is tougher than a house," Gojyo returned. "And what the hell is Kougaiji doing around here?"

"I don't know— take cover!" Hakkai flung up a barrier as more ki-blasts scorched through the air towards them.

They hit the barrier, and he staggered backwards. "The guy is unbelievably powerful," he gasped. "I can't sustain this much longer!"

Somewhere off to the right, Yaone went down in a spray of blood. Hakkai's heart wrenched involuntarily.

Goku swung Nyoibu, fending off several more attacking youkai. "What are we going to do?! Hakkai?!" his hand drifted towards his diadem.

"NO, you dumbass ape!" Gojyo snapped.

"But… but…"

Suddenly, fire swept through the clearing. 

Kougaiji's fire demon arced through the air, frying youkai to a crisp as it darted towards their leader. Ki-blasts failed to stop it, as it sped towards the Being. 

Aura met fire.

There was an explosion, a massive backlash that swept all standing off their feet. The flash that accompanied it left all of them blind for a long moment.

When they could finally see again, the clearing was empty, excepting for enemy youkai fleeing in the absence of their leader. The ground where the Being had stood was charred, the grass completely burnt away to reveal blackened soil. 

"Phew, that was close," Gojyo muttered, leaning back.

"SANZZZOOO!!" Goku leapt to his feet, rushing over to the unconscious priest's side. "SANZO!" he grabbed at a shoulder and shook it, then winced as his hand came away with blood. "Hakkai? Hakkai! Help!"

Hakkai stood slowly. A footstep nearby made him look up. 

"I require your assistance," Kougaiji said gravely, gesturing towards his unconscious subordinates. 

Hakkai smiled. "We owe it to you, for helping us to defeat the … their leader."

Kougaiji looked at him for a long moment. Hakkai's eyes narrowed, and flickered across the clearing again.

"He's not dead, is he?" he asked, too softly for Gojyo and Goku to hear.

"No," Kougaiji replied, equally softly.

"He isn't one of yours?"

"No. We do not know what he is. But he is neither my friend nor yours," Kougaiji's stare grew razor sharp. "As so often happens when we meet, it seems that defeating this enemy for good requires our alliance." His glance strayed to Sanzo. "The enemy will not forgive either of us. But I will speak to you later on this issue. In the meantime… there are lives in danger."

"Hai," Hakkai nodded.


	5. Ch4 : Reprieve

****

-CHAPTER 4-

Reprieve

It seemed that his world stood upon a precipice. 

He had wanted to die. For the first time in his life, he had sought death as an escape. 

The unescapable pain, unceasing, unrelenting… he didn't want to go through that again.

But for now, there was peace for a while. Just the darkness, empty, devoid of thought, devoid of feeling, devoid of touch. Just the welcomed darkness. 

Shit.

He tensed as the presence of that… creature… grew within his mind. Scenes flashed dimly across his vision – Goku attacking, Goku falling backwards in a shower of blood. Light. Light and fire. They hadn't killed the bastard. 

__

No. I am immortal. Indestructable. Unkillable.

__

Bullshit. If you're that hard to kill, why didn't you stay to kill all of us?

__

All of them, you mean. 

Sanzo winced in his sleep.

__

Because I enjoy toying with people. It makes life so much more interesting. And when the time comes, I will kill them. One by one. In front of your eyes. 

__

FUCK YOU!

__

You swear a lot, for a monk. _Let's see. Now that those annoyances are out of the way, shall we continue where we left off? Let's work on those memories of your mentor, shall we? They promise to be so much fun…_

He dived into nightmares.

Hakkai watched the ceiling. They were back in the inn, having caught a lift from Kougaiji's flying dragon. He wondered how Kougaiji's group was doing. They would be back, Kougaiji had promised, after a little time to rest and recover. 

Kougaiji was certain that his fire demon hadn't damaged the Being to any extent. Why had it fled? Why hadn't it taken Sanzo with it? After going through all that trouble…

A whisper caught his attention. He glanced down. Sanzo shook his head violently, muttered something, then subsided. 

Nightmares.

Hakkai pressed a hand against Sanzo's forehead. No fever, which was good. Just a shattered left arm, broken ribs, and claw marks. Humans healed more slowly than youkai.

Ki. That elusive thing that could be used as a weapon or as a healing agent. The Being had used its to devastating effect. The amount of power… Hakkai shook his head. Incredible. Just incredible.

Something tingled, just at the edge of his senses. He glanced sharply around the room. Nothing.

The feeling persisted. But it felt distant, almost as if it was…

It was … coming from Sanzo.

That feeling, that almost-smell of ozone and that alien feeling, was unmistakably the Being's. Perhaps… perhaps…

"Hakkai!" Gojyo called from the next room. 

"Nani?"

"Kougaiji's here, and he's looking for you!"

__

Kougaiji. It was almost hysterically funny, Kougaiji dropping in as if on a visit. As if they were the best of friends. Hakkai rose and headed for the door.

***

Sanzo snapped awake, breathing hard. Not again. Not those memories again. Wasn't living through it once bad enough? Did he have to live through his teacher's death again and again?

__

If I want you to, the Being mocked him.

He knew he should look for the rest. Tell them. Tell them that the bastard wasn't dead. 

__

No you won't.

He fought it, staggering out of bed and heading for the door. Fought it with every ounce of will and self-control that he still had.

__

You're so amusing. 

The Being's presence rose in his mind. He tried to call out, yell for help, yell for _someone_, but something took over. It crushed him down, took control, and pushed him kicking and screaming into a dark corner of his own mind where he bridled in fury at his helplessness.

The Being assessed the damage through his eyes. 

His left arm was in a sling, both the upper arm and the lower arm casted solidly. His left wrist was splinted. The tape around his ribs was an annoyance, but made breathing and walking possible with less discomfort from the broken ribs. The flesh wounds – slashes from youkai claws – were bandaged, and already well on their way to recovery, thanks to Hakkai. 

He was wearing his usual robe, minus the body suit. It had probably gotten in the way of the bandages. With the sling around the sleeve of his left arm, changing out would be a major operation. 

The little part of his mind that was still his own noted that his sutras were still gone from his shoulders. He clamped down on that thought as fast as possible.

__

What do you intend to do? he asked the parasite in his mind.

__

I intend to make you come to me this time, the Being said lazily. _Walk, Genjo Sanzo._

Against his will, he spun away from the door and headed for the window. Silently, he climbed out, and stepped onto the road. For some reason, there was a flying dragon waiting outside the inn, but he couldn't think why. The Being wasn't interested. The Being forced him, step by step, down the long road heading out of town.

*** 

Kougaiji placed both elbows on the table and watched them over clawed hands. "Doku tells me that this creature cannot be harmed by physical means. The aura that surrounds him is too strong. Any physical object that touches it is destroyed."

"What about ki? And your demon?" Gojyo asked.

"My ki blast appeared to affect it slightly," Hakkai said. "However, the effect… negligible. Any ordinary creature would have been vaporized by a blast of that magnitude."

"As with the demon. It was vaquished," Kougaiji said sourly. "And the Being survived." His eyes smouldered. "I have been considering the possibility of a concerted attack, but I suspect that even that would be insufficient."

"What about Nyoibu?" Goku asked. "Could his aura destroy that?"

Kougaiji narrowed his eyes, thinking. 

"I do not know," he replied finally. "There is a chance, yes. However, I think it more likely that even if Nyoibu is not destroyed, it will not be able to penetrate that aura."

"Then it's quite hopeless, isn't it?" Gojyo asked. "What about Yaone and those bomb things?"

"Also ineffective," Kougaiji sighed. "The aura absorbs all damage."

"But it can't absorb indefinitely, can it?" Goku said. "If we keep attacking it, eventually it'll go down."

"Hm," Hakkai said. "What about an Exorcism Gun? It might not be able to kill it, but it might be able to get through the aura."

"Physical weapon," Gojyo pointed out.

"Not a standard physical weapon."

"It would be worth a try, if we had bullets, and if Sanzo was in any shape to shoot anything."

"Sanzo can shoot in any shape," Goku muttered.

Kougaiji traced an outline on the table with a slender claw. "Why did they capture Sanzo?"

Hakkai frowned. Come to think of it, he wasn't sure. He didn't know. There were several reasons why youkai went after Sanzo – the whole thing about Sanzo flesh conferring immortality, then Kougaiji normally hunted them for the sutras…

Hakkai's eyes narrowed. "If they wanted to eat him, they would have done it earlier."

Kougaiji didn't reply.

"They wanted his sutras," Hakkai said softly. _But he didn't have them. I have them. _"But why?"

Kougaiji shrugged.

***

He was staggering after a few hours. The ribs were giving him hell, and he simply didn't have the strength to keep walking. He couldn't concentrate on anything more than putting one foot in front of the other. Finally, he tripped and fell over, unable to get up.

__

Weak. Humans are so weak, the Being taunted him. 

He didn't reply. There wasn't any need to. 

He felt the Being drag him to his feet, feeling the protest in every muscle and every bone, but unable to control himself. _It's amazing what you can do when you're pushed, though_, the Being mused. _So many limits exist only in the mind._

Sweat was streaming down his face, soaking through his robe, and making him damned uncomfortable. In the little corner of his mind, he raged at this hostile takeover, raged at his inability to drive out the invader, raged at his own weakness. That bastard was going to fucking _die_ when he got his hands on him. 

He must have blacked out for a moment, for when he came to, the gravel on the road was pressing into his cheek. 

__

I am so disappointed. I thought you were stronger than that. 

"Fuck off," he whispered. "Leave me alone."

There was a sigh. Somehow, he was on his feet again, no recollection of how he had done that. His mind was graying out from exhaustion, but his limbs kept moving, carrying him towards the abode of the enemy. 

***

"Sanzo? Are you awake?" Hakkai called, as he opened the door. And stopped.

Goku ran into him from behind. "Nani?"

The bed was empty. The window was open.

He wouldn't have. He _couldn't _have. Hakkai rushed to the window. There were footprints on the muddy ground, heading towards the road. 

Why would he…

His gun was still here. His sutras were still here. He would never have left unarmed. Never. 

A stray memory clicked. That feeling of the enemy's presence just before Kougaiji had arrived.

Sanzo leaving without a weapon.

The enemy letting them retake his prisoner without a fight.

Things were starting to come together with horrifying clarity. Somehow, the enemy had taken over Sanzo's mind. And had led him… where?

"Call Kougaiji. We need to borrow his dragon again," Hakkai said to Goku.

The footprints disappeared by the time they reached the hard surface of the road. Even Goku couldn't sense which way Sanzo had gone, not after the delay. A human was harder to pick up than youkai. 

"We'll fly a circuit around the area and see whether we can find him," Kougaiji said. "How long ago did he leave?"

"Assuming he left directly after I left the room, just over 2 hours." Hakkai replied. He glanced over. "Goku? Are you okay?"

"We shouldn't have left him alone," Goku said softly. "I should have stayed with him…"

"It might not have made a difference," Gojyo told him. "He would have found another opportunity to get away."

"But…" frustration and depression battled on Goku's face. Hakkai could imagine the thoughts running through his head. _Couldn't protect him. Couldn't protect him twice_.

He wished he knew what was running through Sanzo's mind at the moment…

***

His mind come back at about the time his legs gave up. The sun had set again. He wasn't sure when he had set out, but he suspected it was around late afternoon. He fell for the umpteenth time, except that he somehow knew that this would be the last. He simply collapsed, too tired even to shiver as the cold seeped into him, and his wounds protested at the mistreatment. 

The Being tsked, and sent a little flash of pain through his nervous system. He was beyond reacting.

He was going to die here, far away from any civilization. Alone, as he'd always been in life.

The rest would have to drop the name Sanzo-ikkou. Who knew what they would call themselves now. Hakkai-ikkou? Hakuuryu-ikkou, to give credit where it was due? They would probably end up being known as the baka-ikkou, at the rate they were going.

__

Delirium. Hell, they always thought I was crazy, anyway. Maybe I am.

He felt, rather than saw, the Being manifest in front of him. Saw the white light even through closed eyelids. Felt deceptively gentle hands gather him up. 

__

Damn damn damn. Can't even have the decency to leave me alone…

The Being teleported away.

***

Kougaiji's head snapped around towards the East. "A surge of power," he told them. 

"As good a lead as any we have," Gojyo said.

The flying dragon headed eastwards. 

"My scouts reported the presence of some town or city around this area a few months ago," Kougaiji said, after a long silence. "We didn't pay much heed, except that it appears to be a youkai establishment. I suspect that this is the creature's hide-out."

"Town or city?" Hakkai said. "Does he have that many youkai under his command?"

"Judging from the number that attacked us?" Goku piped up, "I'd say that he has an _army_."

"Great. Just great," Gojyo sighed. "Us against the world again."

Kougaiji stared off into the distance. "I think not."

"Oh? We have to break and enter an entire city and you think it isn't a big deal?" Gojyo bristled.

"I trust that, as youkai, we can enter the city unchallenged. Many youkai use youryoku limiters, even amongst their own. And the average youkai will not pick a fight with us. It is only with the Enemy's guards that we will have to contend with, and without their leader's support, I doubt that they will be a match for us."

"What if the Enemy is there?"

"He will almost certainly be," Kougaiji said sourly. "But he will send his guards to deal with us first. Wear us down, so that it will be easier for him when he meets us."


	6. Ch5 : Assault

****

-CHAPTER 5- 

Assault

There was a city, although not a particularly large one. It was, however, well defended. 

Stone walls surrounded it on all sides, constantly patrolled by youkai sentries.

"Say, you don't think they have our description, do you?" Gojyo said to Kougaiji.

"One fervently hopes not."

"All the same, I think it's better that we sneak in," Gojyo looked at the city walls. "I don't fancy a being totally overwhelmed."

"What do you think?" Kougaiji asked Hakkai. "Break and enter, or trust that we won't be recognized?"

Hakkai looked doubtfully at the main gates – tall, impressive things of solid iron. 

"We're on a dragon. Let's just fly right in. Who's going to stop us?" Goku suggested.

"Those archers on the walls, bakazaru?" Gojyo pointed out.

"Oh." Goku looked a little crestfallen. "Alright, then let's just fight our way in, Kougaiji!"

The fire youkai smiled humorlessly. "Even I don't wish to engage in more combat than necessary."

"Who's the most likely to be recognized?" Hakkai said.

Kougaiji shrugged. "They might know me, or they might know you. There's an equal chance, I would say."

"Alright, let's just walk up to the gates. If they don't let us in, we'll break in."

"Well said."

They left the flying dragon outside the city, and walked up to the gates.

"If I guess aright, the Enemy's stronghold is the tower in the middle of the city," Kougaiji told them quietly. "Someone who walks around with a visible aura isn't given towards subtlety."

"Hey you! Identify yourselves!" the sentry called out.

"Travellers!" Hakkai responded, with his usual smile. "We're heading East, and seek accomodation for the night!"

Two guards stomped up. 

"They look alright. They're youkai, at least," one of them said to the other.

"Yeah. Guess so. You guys have your travel passes?"

Hakkai's smile didn't even twitch. He handed over a sheaf of papers.

"Eh, these are papers for _three_. Where's the four—"

He fell without a sound, as Gojyo neated whacked him over the head. Goku disposed of the other guard.

Kougaiji sighed. "I'll deal with the doors. Stand back!"

There was a massive explosion and spirals of fire. There was smoke, heat, light. And shards of flying iron. The doors groaned, then blew inwards as Kougaiji's fire-ball slammed into them. Torn off their hinges, they collapsed, crushing several unfortunates standing behind. 

"YEAH! Up and at them!" Goku rushed through, Nyoibu materializing in one hand.

"Let's show 'em, zaru!" Gojyo said, rushing after him. Several guards, caught by surprise, were sent flying.

"After you, Kougaiji-sama," Hakkai smiled.

Kougaiji grunted noncommittally, and stepped through. "You two! We're not here to kill everyone in sight! Follow me!" he snapped at Gojyo and Goku.

"Eh? We're not?" Goku asked.

"Speed is of the essence," Hakkai said, giving him a push in the right direction. "Let's go!"

Goku leapt ahead of the rest, sending enemy youkai flying with powerful sweeps of Nyoibu. The ordinary citizens fled as they rushed through the streets, Kougaiji hollering out directions to Goku. 

"They're following!" Gojyo yelled to Hakkai.

"Cover me," Hakkai directed.

"Right." They screeched to a stop. Gojyo sent the blade of his shaku jou spiralling towards the oncoming youkai. Two dodged, two others went down in a spray of blood.

Light grew between Hakkai's fingertips, as it formed a ball of glowing white, bordered in pale magenta. He let it go.

The blast tore through the pursuing youkai, leaving only charred fragments in its wake.

"Great, let's go!" Gojyo grinned, and chased after Kougaiji and Goku.

Kougaiji didn't see the attacker until he was almost on top of him. Literally. 

Twisting, he spun out of the way, as the enemy youkai landed heavily on the ground instead. Without a pause, Kougaiji leapt forward, slamming a fist into the enemy's midrift. He snapped his hand open, claw drawing long trails of blood as he gutted the attacker. 

A shadow fell over his to his right. He ducked, as a blade narrowly curved past his face. "I'm going to get you for that," Kougaiji snarled.

Abruptly the assailant flew forward, slamming into the ground. The next moment, Nyoibu came crashing down onto his skull. There was a sickening crunch.

"Thought you might like some help," Goku grinned.

"Idiot, he was mine," Kougaiji replied. He shook blood off his claws, and inclined his head towards the building towering ahead of them. "Looks like this is it."

Hakkai and Gojyo drew even. "Nothing for it, let's storm it," Gojyo shrugged.

*

Goku stared at the tower. _Sanzo…_ he whispered. Sanzo was in there somewhere, and if he had to kill everyone to get to him, he would. _Sanzo… _

__

I'm hungry.

*

__

Rogue youkai have been killing both humans and our own followers, Doku had reported to him, almost a month back. _We've found corpses… unpleasant sights. They look like they were torn apart – slowly. They didn't die in a fight._

Yaone and Dokugakuji, blood-splattered.

Kougaiji's hand curled into a fist. Empress' orders or no, he was going for revenge. 

*

__

Is it justified? Hakkai wondered vaguely, looking at their objective looming up ahead of them. _Killing all those youkai… certainly, they've been attacking us, they hurt Sanzo badly, but… all those lives, for one of ours? I knew that killing would be a part of our journey, but isn't this too much? Isn't there a better way?_

Memories flashed across his mind, corpses lining the halls as thunder crashed outside. Violence hadn't availed him that time, when he had gone after Kanan. Killing all those youkai… had achieved… what had it achieved? 

*

__

I can't believe I'm doing this for mister worldly monk… Gojyo thought sourly. _Can't believe I'm risking life and limb for him. Oh hell, he'd better buy me a whole round to myself when we get back. And he does hold on to the cash, anyway._

__

Yeah, I'm not that_ shallow, _he told a naggy little voice inside_, but some things are better when put in a lighter perspective, aren't they? Life would be too serious otherwise. Unbearable. I'd go around all day with a chip on my shoulder like mister Sanzo-sama._

__

Speaking of which…

"Yo. Let's make a move."

Abruptly, ki-blasts zapped past their heads. Hakkai flung up a barrier, wincing as the next barrage slammed into it.

"Kougaiji! Trying to enter by the front is madness!"

"Back," Kougaiji directed, narrowing purple eyes.

They retreated down the streets. "Goku, you fend off any incoming youkai," Hakkai said. "Gojyo, keep an eye for any sneak attacks." He turned back to Kougaiji. "How on earth are we supposed to get inside? There are way too many enemies guarding it!"

"Without knowing the lay of the land, we can't find out if there are alternate entrances. Given the havoc that we've raised thus far, no doubt they will be on the alert." He shrugged. "I can see no alternative but to force our way in."

"Impossible," Hakkai said flatly.

"What kind of resistence do you anticipate?"

"I don't anticipate. I _saw_ at least 20 guards. Long _and_ short ranged. I'm sure that they have reinforcements waiting. Whatever this guy is, he certainly knows how to arrange a defense."

"HAKKAI!" Goku yelled.

Hakkai felt something slam into the side of his head even as Kougaiji fired. A youkai tumbled to the ground, a blackened ruin where his chest had been. Hakkai massaged his throbbing head. 

"We could try a two-fold attack," Kougaiji suggested.

Hakkai frowned. "Do you think we can pull it off?"

"You and Gojyo. Goku and I. I'll create a distraction. You slip in behind their defenses, and take out any snipers. Once inside, cover us while we get in."

"And after that?"

"Whatever waits for us."

Hakkai nodded, a chill in his stomach. _We may all die here…_

"Good luck."

Kougaiji nodded. "GOKU!"

***

They attacked.

Kougaiji's fire demon tore through the barricade, devastating most of the resistence. As more guards swarmed through the entrance and took cover behind a ki-barrier, they went in for the kill with Hakkai holding a shield up to deflect hostile ki-blasts.

Gojyo hit them first, the shaku jou snapping out and claiming three youkai that were too careless to avoid it. Goku was there the next instant, wielding Nyoibu with deadly efficiency. He went straight for the captain, catching him in the stomach with the staff, then parrying the captain's sword thrust before sweeping him off his feet. The next blow caught the captain right across the throat, shattering his neck.

Kougaiji entered the fray, lashing out with trails of fire. He grabbed the nearest youkai, slashed both his eyes out with one sweep, and finished him off with a sharp kick that fractured his skull.

Hakkai dived into the shadows, silently dispatching the one youkai that he encountered with a punch strong enough to shatter his jaw. Gojyo was at his side that instant, the blade of his shaku jou dripping red. They snuck round the side of the entrance, as Kougaiji illuminated the entire area with a massive fire display. Goku was a streaking blur amidst the enemies, moving almost too fast for the eye to catch. 

"To your right!" Gojyo snapped. Hakkai ducked, as the half-youkai slammed his weapon into the face of one of the attacking youkai, the blade snapping out to take out another youkai from behind. 

Kougaiji and Goku were being forced back. Without Hakkai and Gojyo, they were hard-pressed to hold their own. Ki-blasts, fire blasts and arrows went zipping past their ears. Goku took an arrow in the shoulder, and nearly fell to an attacking youkai before Kougaiji came to his assistance. 

"This is where we get lost, and try to enter again when they're distracted," Kougaiji hissed at Goku.

"I thought we were supposed to join them!" Goku replied.

"Baka! Battle plans last only as long as it takes to encounter the enemy! Back!"

They beat a hasty retreat.

"They're following us," Goku noticed.

"Very well. We'll draw them off, lose them, then head back," Kougaiji answered. _Easier said than done_, he thought to himself. _They know the area better than we do._

Hakkai clutched at his wounded side as the guards went charging off after Kougaiji and Goku. There was an inquiring touch on his shoulder.

"I'm alright," he whispered back. "Let's take out the remaining guards."

"Whatever for?"

"So that Kougaiji and Goku can get in when they get back! You don't think that we could take on the Enemy without them, do you? Nor could we storm the entire tower!"

"Right."

Kougaiji streaked down the alley, Goku a few steps behind. "What's wrong, ape? Your shoulder giving trouble?"  


"I'll be fine," Goku grated.

"This way," Kougaiji hissed. "Move faster! I thought you were the one who could run like the wind."

"Yeah, yeah…" _Tired. I'm tired. And I'm hungry…_ "You sure you know which way you're going?"

Kougaiji glowered back. 

"I think we've lost them," Goku said, as they rounded another corner, with no sign of pursuit behind.

"Back. Back to the tower. Don't give up on me, you idiot ape!" Kougaiji said, as Goku's steps faltered.

__

Truth to be told, I don't think I can keep this up much longer either! By the time we meet the Enemy, we'll be no match for him! Kougaiji gritted his teeth and plunged on.

Even Hakkai wasn't smiling any more. This wasn't an attack. This was a blood bath. At least ten guards lay dead at their feet, and several more were rushing to the scene. How many followers did this guy have?

There was a stinging sensation in his shoulder. Gojyo clutched at it, and stared as his hand come away with blood. Arrow. "Hakkai! Sniper!"

"Huh? Where?" Hakkai was faltering. Hakkai was faltering badly. Sustaining the barrier and flinging back blasts of his own was far too draining. Gojyo lashed out with the shaku jou, but it fell short of the mark.

"DUCK!" two more arrows whizzed overhead. Gojyo fended off another attacker. Hakkai's breathing was becoming labored. _And my shoulder is starting to hurt like a bitch as well!_

They weren't attacking any more. They were too busy defending. There weren't that many enemies now – maybe 7, minus the ones sniping at them from the shadows. But it was 7 too many…

"NYOIBU!"

The cry jarred Hakkai out of the exhausted stupor he had almost fallen into. Goku leapt over them, Nyoibu flashinig into existence. He took a swipe at the sniper, sending him toppling off the ledge and crashing lifeless into the floor. 

"Hakkai! Gojyo! Are you guys okay?" 

"GOKU! DOWN!"

Too late. Goku didn't see the ki-blast that caught him, full-force, in the back. He slammed forward, blood spilling. Then he scrambled to his feet.

"I have him," Kougaiji's voice sounded from behind. The fire youkai leapt forward, sending a foot straight into the attacker's throat. 

"FORWARD!" he ordered.


	7. Ch6 : Confrontation

****

-CHAPTER 6-

Confrontation

__

I'm too damn bloody weak, the thought grated through Sanzo's mind. _I'm tired of having to rely on the youkai to get me out of trouble… why they hell can't I do it myself?_

__

Because you're not a youkai yourself, the Being's insidious thought came back.

__

I'm going to kill you.

__

Just try.

Sanzo snapped awake. And lunged directly for the Being, who was standing beside the bed.

He misjudged, grogginess and fatigue weighing their heavy hands on him, but his right fist still connected with the aura…

And he was flung backwards. _Shit!_

Staggering to his feet, he charged again. 

The Being side-stepped, as he overextended himself, and went crashing to the floor. Pain blasted through his nerves, as his broken arm took the brunt of the impact. For a few seconds, he was too dazed to move.

The next attempt to stand was offset by a foot connecting solidly with his ribs. He flew, crashing against the far wall, and collapsed. He didn't even try to get up again.

The Being stooped over him. "You didn't bring the sutras. I'm so disappointed in you."

"You hardly waited around long enough to get them, did you?" Sanzo sneered.

__

You are_ asking for it_, the Being said directly into his mind.

__

Get. Lost.

__

You can't even make me. _I am surprised, though. I never thought that a mere human would have so much fight in him._

"Oh? You're not human?"

There was a flicker of surprise, and annoyance. The Being backhanded him across the face. "Where are the sutras?"

He leaned back, tasting blood. "I don't know."

"Get up," the Being snarled. Unwillingly, he was forced to his feet. "You are going back to get them."

"You missed your chance," Sanzo replied wearily. "They'll suspect a trap, if I go back now."

There was the sound of alarms in the distance. 

The Being looked up. "Interesting. It appears that your friends have been so good as to come looking for you. Shall we go and look for them?"

"Why bother?"

"Ah yes. You don't care about them. At least, that's what you'd like to portray." The Being leaned closer. "I've read your mind, you lying, conniving little creature."

Sanzo's eyes narrowed.

"My followers are betting on whether you'll break down or go crazy when I kill that ape. Most are in favor of the former."

He bit his tongue, but refused to answer.

The Being seemed to smile. "So sad, isn't it? Destroying bodies is _easy_, Sanzo. Destroying minds is the challenge. Destroying yours will be a pleasure."

"Why are you after me?" Sanzo demanded.

The Being laughed. Gentle laughter, scarcely the deranged cackling that one might have expected. "I have … hobbies, shall we say? The sutras were the original reason. But I find you interesting. So tough on the outside… it'll be interesting to watch that façade shatter. And believe me, it will."

"You're a bastard, you know that?"

A fist caught him across the mouth. His head slammed against the wall, and for a long, long moment, all he could see were flashing lights. 

"You're a glutton for punishment."

The door slammed open. Sanzo caught a glimpse of red hair and red eyes. One of them winked at him. "Hey—"

The Being spun.

For a brief moment, his hold on Sanzo's mind slackened.

Sanzo saw the Being's aura intensify… unthinkingly he flung himself at it.

The ki-blast barreled straight into him. 

Gojyo broke the door down. 

Sanzo was standing against one wall, a slightly dazed expression on his face. Blood was leaking from one corner of his mouth, and a bruise was forming on one side of his face.

The Being was standing opposite.

The Being was spinning around… _oh no. I'll never dodge this one in time—_

Then Sanzo was in the way… Sanzo was taking the damn bolt meant for him…

Gojyo watched in horror as the priest crumpled to the floor. He half rolled over, and with a retch, vomited blood. All that in the blink of an eye.

"You spoilt it," the Being said, sounding remarkably peeved. He raised a foot, and brought it down on the fingers of Sanzo's right hand. Bone crunched. Sanzo almost screamed, then choked on blood. He tried to pull away. 

The Being ground down harder. Bone shattered.

"DAMN YOU!" Disregarding Hakkai's warnings, Gojyo sent the shaku jou snapping out towards the Being.

The cresent blade hit the aura, and shattered into a million pieces.

This time, the ki-blast hit him full on, sending him crashing into the far wall. The world went black.

Kougaiji levelled the fire demon slightly off to one side. Expecting it to come head-on, the Being dodged… straight into the demon's path. For a brief second, there was the same explosion, the flash of light…

For a moment, he dared to hope…

Then the demon vanished. Dispelled. Kougaiji choked down a surge of despair.

"His aura is thinner," Hakkai said from beside him. He reached inside, gathered his ki, and fired.

The Being flung up a ki-barrier just in time, but failed to see Goku's attack. Nyoibu connected… almost breached the aura…

Then the Being flung a blast at the earth youkai that sent him tumbling backwards.

"Honestly, I thought that you'd learn," the Being complained. "Don't fall unconscious _again_…" this last was directed to Sanzo.

"KEEP OFF HIM!" Goku leapt to the attack again, converting Nyoibu to flail form. The Being dodged with remarkable speed, then slammed a fist into Goku. The tendrils of his aura tore into Goku's flesh, sending blood flying in a fine red mist. Goku clattered to the ground, and didn't move again. 

Kougaiji fired again, a fire-bolt that was deflected easily.

"And you're not even injured yet. How unfair. Did you let your companions do all fighting, Kougaiji? The same way you let your followers get killed without raising a finger?"

Kougaiji's eyes blazed with rage.

"Don't!" Hakkai cautioned. "He's trying to antagonize you into attacking him by hand!"

"I don't even need to do that," the Being sneered. Abruptly, the entire room was filled with flying levin bolts. Hakkai's hastily erected barrier went down almost immediately. Then there was no shield between them and the assault.

Bolts buried themselves into him. There was the stench of burning flesh, a maelstrom of pain that threatened to overwhelm his senses… which Kougaiji tried to push aside as he flung himself at the Being in one, last, desperate attack.

His claws fell short of their mark. Suddenly, there was just the floor rushing up to meet him. He clattered into a bloody heap beside Hakkai.

The Being smiled. "So weak." It nudged Sanzo with a foot. "Are you awake?"

Violet eyes snapped open, and fixed it with a stare.

__

I don't even want to think about what its done to my hand, Sanzo thought. _Dear gods…_ He was slipping away. The darkness beckoned, calling him, dragging him down. So easy to drift away…

__

Not now. Not while the rest are here. Not while there's a chance… 

__

What chance?

The pain was killing him. He should just let go and drift away.

__

No.. not this time. I'm not… he saw Goku go down. _Stupid bakazaru… I never asked you to come after me! You shouldn't have…_

__

I'm not worth it.

Kougaiji was attacking. _Kougaiji? When did he get… I thought I saw… I can't remember._

__

What's that?

Perhaps it was the pain that enhanced his senses. Perhaps it was the effect of the Being's incessant questioning. Perhaps it was a combination of the two.

Suddenly, he could feel the presence of his sutras. The Maten-Kyomon. Hakkai was carrying it… _how did Hakkai get hold of it?_

He couldn't succumb to unconsciousness now, no matter how much it beckoned, no matter how much it damn bloody _hurt_. He had one chance. Just one chance…

Hakkai was down. Kougaiji… went down in a shower of blood.

And there was silence. A dead silence, punctuated only by the sound of his hoarse breathing.

And the bastard smiled. He didn't know how you could discern emotions through that aura, but you could somehow sense what it was feeling. And it was definitely amused.

__

I'm going to wipe that silly smile off your face. He closed his eyes, calling out to the Maten-Kyomon.

A foot crashed into his ribs. "Are you awake?"

__

Yes.

He flung the power of the sutras at the enemy.

Green and white snapped through the air. The world was filled with a pulsing blue light. 

The sutras whipped through the aura, scattering it. 

There was a hoarse scream from somewhere. 

Power crackled, filling the room with the smell of ozone. Stray bolts flew, fizzling out as the aura flashed wildly.

__

So that's why it wanted the Maten-Kyomon so badly.

In a brilliant burst of light, all seven colors… the aura shattered. 

"You…!" 

Sanzo crawled to his feet. The light was clearing, and all that was left…

He nearly laughed.

Red hair, red eyes. A young, boyish face, staring at him in fury. 

"You're not human. You're not even youkai. You bloody half-breed _bastard_."

"I'll _kill _you!" the half-breed snarled, and lunged for him.

"That's my line." Sanzo side-stepped the charge, and lashed out with one foot. And missed. _Shit!_

The half-breed attacked again. This time, Sanzo's foot caught him in the stomach. "You really aren't very good at hand to hand, are you?" Sanzo coughed.

"Speak for yourself." The enemy darted in.

There a crunch. Sanzo staggered, pain streaking through his ribs. _Great… this is the … sixth? time they've taken abuse today…_ a blow caught him across the head, and a knee to the stomach. 

He went down, the half-breed's fingers around his throat.

__

What is it with people trying to strangle me to death?

He kicked, catching the enemy in the groin. The death grip on his throat slackened, and he jerked away. _I need a weapon! I can't fight with both my hands disabled!_

Something caught his eye.

The half-breed lunged again. Blinded by a sudden flash of pain, he couldn't avoid the blow in time. The fist caught him on the casted side. He rolled away, trying to find purchase with his feet. 

"EAT THIS!" a ki-blast slammed into him. He hit the wall, but the blast was too weak to kill. His fingers closed around metal.

"Come and get me, you _bastard_," Sanzo hissed with the last remnants of his strength.

The enemy stalked within range.

Ignoring the blinding pain, Sanzo grabbed the shaku jou in both hands and swung upwards.

The flat blade at the end went straight through the enemy's throat. He screamed, a gurgling, muted sound. 

Suddenly, blood was gushing everywhere. It splashed across Sanzo as he dropped the blade. Dimly, he saw the half-breed collapse to his knees, his hands clutching at his ruined throat… _Amazingly weak without the protection of his aura…_

The enemy's lips moved, cursing soundlessly.

He fell, and didn't move again.

It was a long while before Sanzo could gather the strength to even open his eyes. The enemy was dead, a bloody heap at his feet. And his mind… was free. No insidious voices, no shattering bouts of pain… nothing. Just his own thoughts.

__

Get up, those thoughts told him. _You can't stay here, unless you want to remain here forever…_

It took him a small eternity to get to his feet again. Sanzo leaned against the doorframe and looked out. There were dead youkai all the way down the hallway. That was a _huge_ number of dead youkai.

Something nudged his leg. He looked down. "Hakuryuu?"

__

Of course. He was behind Hakkai when the bolts started flying.

The dragon stepped out into the hall and shook out his wings. One was in tatters, but healing.

With a flash of light, Hakuryuu morphed into jeep form. 

__

I have to thank enemies who make their hallways large enough to accommodate vehicles… 

Getting his companions into the jeep, however, was a major operation in itself. Sanzo hooked his working arm around Hakkai's, trying to ignore the mess that was his right hand. 

He succeeded in dragging Hakkai all the way to the jeep, then collapsed against its side, gasping. He simply didn't have the strength to do this. There was a soft koo from Hakuryuu.

"Just… give… me… a moment…"

It was a very long moment.

He came awake to a touch on his arm. Kougaiji stood over him, bleeding from a multitude of gashes. The youkai didn't bother with words, just hoisted Hakkai up and into the backseat of the jeep, and turned to get Gojyo. Sanzo leaned against the engine, watching the world fade in and out of his vision.

When Kougaiji returned with Goku, Sanzo muttered a quiet thank you.

Kougaiji's eyes widened in surprise. Then he bowed his head slightly, returning the gesture. "The feeling is mutual. I could not have defeated him without your group's help. But after this… we are still enemies. Remember that."

Sanzo's eyes narrowed. "As if I could forget it."

"Did you really want me to kill you?" Kougaiji asked bluntly.

__

Memory… flashes of memory – seeing Kougaiji standing the distance, seeking a way out, any way out, from the pain…

Sanzo didn't reply, just regarded him impassively.

"Changed your mind, I take it."

"Let's go."

They drove to the outskirts of the city, where Kougaiji's dragon was waiting. After dropping them off at their inn, Kougaiji turned and headed back west. His mind replayed the events, turning over the question of whether he should have just killed all of them after the encounter. Sanzo would have been too weak to oppose him. The rest were unconscious. At the very least, he could have taken the Maten-Kyomon.

__

But I want to defeat them fairly, he argued with himself. 

__

Or is it merely because… I don't want to kill them?

__

Nonsense… we just happen to be allies of circumstance. That's all. In another time and another place… we will still be enemies.

Besides, I was in no shape to pick a fight, not even with an injured Sanzo.

__

Right.


	8. Epilogue

****

-EPILOGUE-

It was the sound of thunder that drove him awake.

For a long time, he regarded the ceiling. There were voices drifting in from the next room – Hakkai's and Gojyo's. 

__

Great. I'm always the last one to recover.

Sanzo turned his head slowly. Goku was watching him. At least, Goku was _supposed_ to be watching him, but some time during the night, the ape had fallen asleep. 

He climbed out of bed quietly, dressed, and left the room.

He paused for a moment, noticing a light from dining room, and the sound of laughter, then shook his head and stepped out onto the porch.

Not a star in the sky, just clouds as far the eye could see. He sat on the steps, staring out into the darkness.

__

You don't care about them. At least, that's what you'd like to portray. The half-breed's words came back to him.

"Bastard," Sanzo whispered. _I never asked for their friendship. I never asked them to come after me. I never ordered them to follow me. If not for this mission, if not for the three aspects' orders…_

__

Beholden to nothing and no one.

***

Gojyo fiddled with his cigarette. "He was a youkai-human cross?"

"Yes," Hakkai said.

"Poor bastard." Gojyo leaned back.

"He must have hated it, hiding behind that aura like that."

"I … can almost understand. The times I wished that there was something to hide the redness of my hair and my eyes…" he shook his head. "He chose a different path. He chose to hide it, to become so powerful that no one would ever scorn him again."

"Not like you, then."

Gojyo gave him a wry look. "I didn't have the means. How did he generate that aura, anyway?"

"If I guess correctly, a combination of ki and talismans. He may even have laid hands on one of the sutras before. But without that aura, he was … just another person, like you and me."

"But why did he get youkai to follow him around? Why not humans?"

Hakkai shrugged. "Power, maybe. Youkai tend to be stronger and faster than humans. Once you gain their respect, they'd make better soldiers. Maybe he hated the human side of his heritage. Who knows? The guy is a riddle wrapped in an enigma. All his secrets died with him."

"Not that I would want to know them," Gojyo replied. "I _really _don't want to know."

***

It was starting to rain.

Sanzo ducked his head and continued to wander in his own thoughts. 

There was a quiet footstep. 

"There's enough space for you inside, if you'd like to come in." Hakkai's voice.

__

If only I didn't have to depend on them…

__

Never become attached to something you might lose. Never treasure something that you can't protect.

Hakkai spoke after a pause. "You can't choose your friends, you know. They choose you. Friendship is something that happens, whether you want it to or not. The best you can do, is not brush it away."

__

Just go away.

He was feeling sleepy again. The rain wasn't bothering him. Despite it, he was getting warmer and more comfortable. He didn't want to move. Rain trickled down, soaking through his robe, but he hardly felt it any more.

His eyes closed.

When Sanzo didn't answer, Hakkai placed a hand on his shoulder. The priest didn't even move. He had drifted off.

Alarmed, Hakkai placed a hand on his forehead. Sanzo was burning up with fever.

__

Great… Hakkai tried to lift him, when the wound in his side protested loudly. He collapsed with a gasp of pain. "Gojyo!"

"Nani?" Gojyo appeared in the doorway. 

"I need to get Sanzo inside…"

Various sarcastic remarks drifted through Gojyo's mind, but died before they reached his lips. Unbidden, images flashed across his memories.

__

Sanzo diving into the path of that ki-blast, Sanzo crumpling to the floor…

"You spoilt it," the enemy said, and brought his foot down.

"Damn," he grumbled to himself, and hefted the unconscious priest onto his shoulder. 

***

__

A few days later…

"Saaanzzzzzzzzooooooooooooooooooo…" Goku wailed from the backseat. "I'm hungry!"

"Shut _up_, bakazaru!" Sanzo snapped.

"But I'm starving! We haven't eaten for the past three hours!"

"Crazy ape. The only thing you think about is your stomach," Gojyo laughed.

"Yeah, and the only thing you think about is your bed, you ero-kappa!"

"Dumbass!"

"Idiot!"

"Idiot? Yeah, that's you!"

They were so busy quarreling that they missed a hasty conference between the two seated in front.

Abruptly, the jeep screeched to a halt. Goku looked up in the middle of attempting to land a punch on Gojyo. "Nani?"

The paper fan came crashing down on both their heads. 

"ITAI!!" Goku yelled. Then: "HAKKAI?!"

Hakkai grinned and held up the fan. "Courtesy of Sanzo. I'm standing in for him, on account of his broken fingers."

"HAKKAI????!!!!!"

Sanzo hid a smile as Hakkai returned his paper fan and restarted the jeep. 

Behind them, the sun was rising on a new day.

-END-

__

Pilgrim on your journey, you may travel far,

For pilgrim it's a long way to find out who you are.

-- Pilgrim, by Enya.


	9. Notes and Afterword

****

Notes and Afterword

Geek notes :

Notes on little technical details, for geeks like me who actually care about these things… 

All of these are based on observational data, and are _not_ official. If you wish to dispute them, you can always email me ^_^.

Sanzo's dominant hand 

I've assumed Sanzo to be left-handed for the course of this fiction. He may be ambidextrous. Certainly, he uses both hands for the gun. 

In Book 8 of the manga, he was using a brush with his left hand. That was when I first noticed it, actually. Checking back, I noticed that the incidence of him wielding the gun (and the fan!) in his left hand, is higher than the usage of his right hand. As Kouryuu (when he was young), he's almost always holding the broom in his left hand.

In the anime, however, he might be right-handed. Most of his scenes show him holding the gun in his right hand, and in Episode 5 : Pure Assassin, he was holding a pair of chopsticks in the right hand. 

Being the sort of person who takes the manga as more accurate, however, I've followed the manga. 

For the others, it's harder to tell. These are my postulations :

Goku – suspected right handed. While there's a picture of him holding a knife in his left hand, in the manga, he is shown with a pair of chopsticks in his right (Book 8 again). Since Nyoibu is a two-handed weapon, it's hard to tell which hand he uses primarily (and I don't know anything about wielding staves ^_^). There appears to be no fixed hand with which he summons Nyoibu. 

Hakkai – impossible to tell! Suspected right handed.

Gojyo – suspected right handed, looking at which hand he holds the shaku jou.

Kougaiji – impossible to tell.

Hakuryuu – erm… 

Why all the 'suspected'? One thing I _do_ know for certain, is that Kazuya Minekura isn't very consistent when it comes to hands (either that, or characters switch hands really quickly from frame to frame!). But who cares, as long as they all look great? ^_^

Number of bullets Sanzo's gun can carry. 

I _told_ you this was Sanzo-centric!

5 bullets. Although he uses a revolver, and revolvers traditionally have a 6 bullet magazine, I guess this isn't your standard revolver. (Let's face it – your standard revolver doesn't kill youkai ^_^). While all forward views of the gun show four chambers and one obscured by the barrel, I always assumed that there was a second obscured chamber. What really convinced me was the scene in Book 3 of the manga where Sanzo reloads his gun, showing, assuming equal spacing, a 5 round magazine. While again, there may have been a 6th chamber that is concealed, it would 1. Have to be really small 2. Have to be really close to the two beside it. Since the rest of the chambers are well-spaced, the likelihood of a 6th chamber is neglible. 

Attempts to ascertain this in the opening sequence of the anime were foiled by the lousy quality of my VCDs. -_-

Auras 

The whole concept of an aura is my idea entirely. As Hakkai suggested, this aura is made up of ki (which you have to ask Hakkai if you want to know more about), collated, focused and sustained by the heavy usage of talismans. I wanted to include something on this in the main fiction, but there wasn't the opportunity. Like Hakkai's ki-barrier, it deflects both physical and elemental (fire, ki, levin etc) attacks. However, being more powerful, the backlash is sufficient to destroy weapons and toss attackers around. This aura is also selective – ie : the user can still pick up objects (otherwise, it'd be a major inconvenience!) 

As suggested, it can be diminished by sufficiently powerful attacks. However, it can also be recharged, hence the minimal effect that Hakkai and Kougaiji's attacks had on it. The Maten-Kyomon was the only artifact with sufficient force and sustained power to both penetrate _and_ completely dispel the aura such that it could not be recharged. On the flip side, if its power was added to the aura's, it would augment this aura, hence the reason for the enemy hounding Sanzo for it.

Afterword :

I was going to put a foreword, but I figured that most of the stuff should be left for _after_ the story ^_^. Then I wanted to put a foreword _and_ an afterword, but that would equate way too much ranting.

Firstly, I apologize for any ideas that may have been inadverently stolen, re-used, and recycled from other fan-fics. I try to stick to originalty, but some themes are just universal. Secondly, the ending is not as good as I hoped it'd be; this is not the best, not by a long shot. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed it; and reviews would be very much appreciated ^_^. (Reviews may equal more fanfics o_0). 

I know there wasn't very much of Goku. I'll try to make up for that in subsequent works. 

This fiction was written purely for enjoyment, and because I'm _starved_ for Saiyuki fanfic! (*Goku-esque wail*) No animals were hurt in its production, except for those edible goldfish biscuits. If I owned Saiyuki, you would have heard about it earlier. I do own the ideas, the original copy, and a Sanzo keychain, though o_. 

Special thanks to friend and fellow writer Toes, who introduced me to the great world of Saiyuki.

- sf, Dec 25 2001. 


End file.
